The New York Times noted today that, conventional wisdom notwithstanding, the president is still in high demand on the campaign trail, at least by some.
President Bush cannot show up just anywhere in the waning days of this midterm campaign. But there is a certain class of Republicans who are somewhere between eager and willing to have him at their sides.
There are those facing ethical questions or struggling to recover from gaffes. There are those desperate for the cash Mr. Bush can bring in just by showing up for lunch. There are those who need the president to turn out a demoralized base. And there are those who, like Vern Buchanan, the Republican candidate for the House [in Sarasota, Fla.], are a little bit of all three.
With this in mind, the president’s supporters are apparently reveling a bit in the president’s new-found popularity on the trail. One prominent conservative blogger I read noted, “The conventional wisdom of these midterms casts George Bush as Kryptonite to Republicans in close races, with candidates practically stumbling over themselves to achieve maximum distance from the President. The New York Times reports that conventional wisdom seems to have misunderestimated Bush again.”
And given the NYT article, that may seem compelling. There is, however, a catch: the president is sought after on the campaign trail, but usually as a “stealth campaigner.”
Candidates across the country, especially those in tight races where the president’s power to draw cash is most valuable, want him to drop by for a fundraiser. They just don’t want their picture taken with the head of the party — mainly because they know it will end up in their opponents’ television commercials.
So far this year, Mr. Bush has done 10 times as many closed-press fundraising events compared to 2002. He has also not appeared at a single major Republican rally, unlike four years ago, when he did 32.
“What a difference a few years makes,” said Democratic National Committee spokesman Stacie Paxton. “Republicans are happy to take his cash, but when it comes to photo-ops and campaign stops, President Bush is persona non grata…. Clearly, President Bush is toxic to many of the candidates across the country.”
Let’s compare midterm cycles. In 2002, Bush did 71 fundraising events; this year he’s done 67. Pretty close, obviously. The difference, however, is that reporters and photographers were barred from just three of these events in 2002, while this year, 33 fundraisers have been closed to the press, including a Republican National Committee dinner last night in Boca Raton, Fla.
In 2002, Bush took part in 32 voter rallies at airports and sports arenas. This year, he’s attended one, in Utah, and it was a non-political event on behalf of U.S. troops.
In 2002, Bush attended 12 public rallies. This year, he’s attended zero.
That “Kryptonite” metaphor isn’t quite as useless as some of the president’s supporters might think.